Service at Sunset

Bugs me having to take a poster off Devizine. No, I’m not Mary Whitehouse, thank you, just cos I got the same hairdo. Not for censorship purposes, just the cancelation of next Friday’s Sunset Service gig down the Lamb, Devizes. Not wishing to go into reasons, I do wish both parties effected a silver lining on their clouds. Anyhoo, I’ve only gone and blagged the Sunset Service’s spanking new EP download, “Roads Vol1” to account what we’d be missing, cos I’m nice like that; you don’t have to thank me.

Sunset Service, five guys, namely: Phil Eaton on lead vocals, harmonica and guitar, Ash Hulbert, lead guitar, James Lloyd on guitar and keys, Andrew James on bass and drummer Olly Bray, have produced a debut worthy of our attention. Four original tracks are on offer here, though the band describe themselves as “alt-country rock,” tracks are diverse.

While it opens with “Wasted Time,” an up-tempo blast of rock which borders the genre alt-country, and the second track “Take it Easy,” slows the pace with some emotional harmonica and unquestionably respires a country-inspired sagacity, the third tune “One Fine Day” wastes no time in projecting a vibrant blues riff. “Rescue Me” polishes the EP off with the defining blend of previous tunes.

There’s fair writing skill, but mostly just an enjoyable listen, which despite its given label, doesn’t lend to the archetypal phoney “country” template. I guess what I’m attempting to explain is that Sunset Service do not ramble off cultural references like they leapt straight out of a freight train heading for Tennessee, save one where Phil refers to “good ol’ boys,” but there’s no indication they’re drinking whisky and rye. Yep, there’s something acutely British about the writing and the vocals which retains its feet firmly on the floor. “Keeping it real,” they call it in hip hop, ironically though sometimes, and being the guys are from Swindon, with a couple originally from Devizes, it does just that.

Think, if The Flying Burrito Brothers met The Strokes; for while a twang of guitar strings fits snug, there’s a slant of britpop, of Keane, or The Killers. Not overlooking we’ve this retrospective blues edge harking back to Cream or Hendrix. This is quality stuff which we’re clearly missing out on. This side of Christmas the band want to find a replacement booking in Devizes, so promoters get rallying, and everyone else, check out the EP here: